Article by:
Stephanie Sevillano
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture-Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (DA-FPA) on Friday said it has issued a show cause order (SCO) against an alleged illegal manufacturer of fertilizer in Mindanao.
In a statement, FPA Executive Director Glenn Estrada said the move is part of the government efforts to protect the fertilizer industry and uphold the welfare of Filipino farmers in the country.
“Inspections and enforcement will continue to prevent unsafe products from reaching farmers,” he said. “This Show Cause Order sends a clear message that regulatory compliance is not optional, and violators will be held accountable.”
The FPA ordered the DQB Green Agricultural Products Trading in Makilala, North Cotabato to explain why it should not be sanctioned for violations of Presidential Decree No. 1144, the law that created the FPA, and Memorandum Circular No. 23, Series of 2022, which suspends the registration and licensing of handlers using the “Spinning Palanggana” method for fertilizer production.
In a surprise inspection on Feb. 20, the FPA found that the establishment was manufacturing and rebagging fertilizer products without a valid license to operate (LTO).
The distribution and sale of 1,352 bags of fertilizer found in the facility were then halted as the FPA issued a Stop Use, Move, and Sale (SUMS) Order.
The products include Takada 14-14-14, a formulation registered under Valap Inc., with an expired LTO since January, as a manufacturer and national distributor.
DQB itself holds no valid LTO for the production site.
The facility also used the banned “spinning palanggana” method for its operation –a method already suspended due to repeated laboratory failures and off-specification nutrient content.
“The manufacturing equipment also failed to meet regulatory requirements,” the FPA said. (PNA)
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